Clematis plant named ‘EVIpo015’

ABSTRACT

A new Clematis plant which is well suited to outdoor and indoor cultural methods, has exceptional tolerance to cold temperatures, displays profuse, light purple flowers, and demonstrates continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings under normal glasshouse conditions and is suitable for cultivation in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from propagation.

Variety denomination: ‘EVIpo015’.

Botanical classification: Genus—Clematis. Species—viticella.

Commercial classification: Late Flowering Cultivar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematiswhich originated from a chance pollination between an unnamed femaleseed parent plant (unpatented) and an unknown male pollen parent plant.

The seed resulting from the chance pollination was germinated in acontrolled environment. The new variety is named ‘EVIpo015’.

The objective of the selection of this Clematis variety for commercialglasshouse and nursery culture was to create a new and distinct varietywith unique qualities that this variety has:

1. Profusion of semi-nodding light purple flowers;

2. Long lasting flowers;

3. Non clinging habit;

4. Summer flowering;

5. Suitability for cultivation under glasshouse conditions;

6. Cold tolerant to USDA cold hardiness zone three.

These qualities required improvement in Clematis varieties that were incommercial cultivation and the objectives have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety, as evidenced by the unique combination ofcharacteristics that are present in ‘EVIpo015’ which distinguish it fromall other varieties of which we are aware. ‘Evipo015’ differs from itsfemale parent primarily in flower color.

The seeds from the aforementioned chance pollination were germinated andevaluations of the resulting seedling plants were conducted in acontrolled environment. As a result, ‘EVIpo015’ was selected by RaymondJ. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen in their Clematis development program inDomarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands,United Kingdom in July of 1998.

Asexual reproduction of ‘EVIpo015’ by cuttings was first done by RaymondJ. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St.Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in August 1998. Thisinitial and subsequent propagations have demonstrated that thecharacteristics of ‘EVIpo015’ are true to type and are transmitted fromone generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type:

FIG. 1.1 Stem with juvenile growth;

FIG. 1.2 Mature stem showing attachment of mature leaves;

FIG. 1.3 Mature stem, petioloules, petioles, pedicels, bracts, andflower buds;

FIG. 1.4 Partially opened flowers attached to pedicel;

FIG. 1.5 Open flower, lower surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘EVIpo015’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in glasshouses at DomarieVineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom. Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 2liter containers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the varietymay vary under different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal,and climatic conditions. Color references are made using The RoyalHorticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001.

For a comparison, the nearest existing Clematis variety is ‘Alionushka’,non-patented. Chart 1 details several physical characteristics of the‘EVIpo015’ and the comparison variety.

CHART 1 ‘EvIpo015’ ‘Alionushka’ Individual 40 to 50 mm 70 mm tepallength Bracts Small: 50 mm Large: 90 mm in in length by length by 50 mm25 mm wide. wide. Flower Above Normal abundance average

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

Blooming habit: Normally flowers from June through September.

Flower bud:

Size.—15 to 20 mm in length.

Bud form.—Ovoid.

Bud color.—Purple Group N79C at ¼ opening.

Peduncle:

Surface.—Smooth.

Length.—120 to 180 mm average length.

Color.—Green Group 137A.

Strength.—Moderately weak. Flowers are semi-nodding.

Receptacle: Flowers are attached directly to the peduncle.

Borne: In clusters, or compound dichasial cymes.

Flower bloom:

Size.—30 to 40 mm in diameter.

Form.—Upon opening, long campanulate, with tepals which reflex strongly.

Color.—Upon opening, the upper surface is Purple Group N78A. The lowerside is Purple Group N78A. After opening, the upper surface is PurpleGroup N78A. The lower side is Purple Group N78A. General tonality isPurple Group N78A.

Variations.—None.

Fragrance.—None.

Lasting quality on plant.—7 to 10 days.

Lasting quality as a cut flower.—2 to 4 days.

Tepals:

Quantity.—Single. 4 on average.

Shape.—Individual tepal shape is elliptic.

Cross section.—Reflexed strongly.

Margin.—Entire with many small undulations along the length of thetepal.

Tepal apex.—Narrowly acute.

Tepal base.—Rounded.

Recurvature of tip.—Strongly recurved.

Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.

Arrangement.—Tepals are arranged regularly.

Reproductive organs:

Pollen.—Quantity: Scant.

Anthers.—Length: 3 to 5 mm. Color: Yellow Group 13C. Arrangement:Regular.

Filaments.—Length: 5 to 10 mm. Color: Yellow-Green 144D.

Stigmas.—Totally enclosed by the anthers.

Styles.—Color: Green Group 136D to Yellow Group 11D.

PLANT

Plant form: Upright.

Plant growth: One season's growth attains 1.5 to 2 meters.

Hardiness: Trials to date show the variety hardy in USDA Zones 3-9.

Stems:

Color.—Young wood: Green Group 137C, turning to Greyed-Orange GroupN170A. Older wood: Greyed-Orange Group 165C.

Internodes.—Shape: Cylindrical. Length: 90 mm.

Bark.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.

Plant foliage: Deciduous. Compound leaves normally consist of 7 ellipticleaflets arranged in pinnate form.

Leaf size.—Typical leaflet size is approximately 30 to 40 mm in length,by 15 to 20 mm in width. Compound leaves are normally 200 mm in lengthby 100 mm wide.

Abundance.—Average.

Color.—New growth: Green Group 137C on upper and lower surfaces. Oldergrowth: Upper surface is Green Group 137A. Lower surface is Green Group137C.

Plant leaves and leaflets:

Stipules.—Absent.

Petioloules.—Length: 0 to 40 mm. Color: Green Group 137C.Characteristic: Non clasping.

Petioles.—Length: 30 to 60 mm. Color: Green Group 137C. Texture: Smooth.Characteristic: Non clasping.

Leaflet edge.—Terminal leaflet margin is entire.

Leaflet shape.—Base: Rounded to somewhat acute. Apex: Acute.

Texture.—Upper surface is glabrous with a matte appearance. Lowersurface is veined with a matte appearance.

Thickness.—Thin.

Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks thespecies, however the variety is more tolerant to Botrytis than otherClematis which we are aware of.

Cold tolerance: ‘EVIpo015’ has been found to be cold tolerant to USDAcold hardiness zone three.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Clematis plant named‘Evipo015’, as illustrated and described herein as a distinct and novelClematis variety due to its abundant light purple flowers with goodkeepability, exceptional cold hardiness, attractive long lasting foliageand compact growth, year round flowering under glasshouse conditions,suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots, durableflowers and foliage which make the variety suitable for distribution inthe floral industry.